Golden Temple Assault: 5 Devotees Injured, Accused Arrested

Amritsar: An unidentified person reportedly armed with a rod injured five devotees in an alleged attack on the premises of the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Friday. According to the reports, the condition of one Sikh youth from Bathinda is reportedly serious and is currently undergoing treatment in the emergency wing of the Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences & Research in Amritsar. The police officials stated that the accused, whose identity is yet to be revealed, and his aide who accompanied him to the Golden Temple, have been arrested and are being interrogated. 

According to a police officer, the second accused allegedly conducted recce along with the one who attacked devotees. The attack took place inside the oldest Guru Ram Das inn near the community kitchen. The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) that manages the Sikh worship place said that the accused, out of the blue, used a rod and started attacking the devotees. Meanwhile, the incident has raised serious concerns about the security of devotees on the Golden Temple premises. 

Earlier, a man had opened fire at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar in December last year, sending a shock wave across the state. Notably, Sukhbir Singh Badal, in blue 'sewadar' uniform, was at the entrance of the Golden Temple in his wheelchair with fractured leg serving his punishment. The assailant was later identified as Narayan Singh Chaura who was immediately taken into custody. 

A police source stated that a migrant labourer created chaos at Shri Guru Ramdas Sarai after being stopped by sewadars. He attacked a sewadar with an iron rod, leaving him seriously injured, and also targeted other sewadars and devotees. The SGPC staff intervened and handed him over to the police. The injured persons have been referred to Shri Guru Ramdas Hospital for treatment.

Devotees Raise Concerns Over Security Lapses

The devotees stated that the attack on the Golden Temple raises questions about the security lapses at the temple that allowed the accused to carry out the attack. The police have arrested the accused and his aide and the investigation is ongoing. The police official stated that the second accused allegedly conducted recce along with the one who attacked devotees, which suggests that there was a level of planning and coordination involved in the attack.

The SGPC has demanded a thorough investigation into the incident and has called for increased security measures to be put in place to prevent such incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, the locals stated that the government must take steps to increase security measures at sensitive locations like the Golden Temple and ensure that intelligence agencies are working effectively to prevent such incidents. The people of Punjab deserve to feel safe and secure, and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that they do.